Disappointed Hopes
by savedprincess85
Summary: Aberforth is mistaken for Albus. Gellert reveals some information that sparks a fight that can change the course of the future. Written for Round 6 of QLFC


Round 6

**Chaser Two: **_Mistaken Identity. _Write about a case of mistaken identity.

Bonus Prompts: Disappointment(emotion), at a crossroads(phrase), monster(word)

Summary: Aberforth is mistaken for Albus. Gellert reveals some information that sparks a fight that can change the course of the future.

Word count: 2177

Aberforth hid a frown with his hand as he led Ariana away from the door that Albus had just slammed in her face. He didn't want her to know that he was disappointed in their brother, especially since she idolized Albus. She had wanted to play a game of Wizard's Chess with Albus, but he was just too busy, apparently, to play with his younger sister.

"Come along, Ariana, I'll play with you," Aberforth said as he guided his sister to the living room to set up the board she held in her hands. The board was placed on the table; the pieces dusted themselves off as they were placed. Ariana always wanted to be black, so Aberforth went first; but within seven moves, she had taken five of his pieces. Despite her unstable disposition, she usually won against him. He was pants at Wizards Chess since he lacked the ability to think multiple moves in advance. Aberforth was too impulsive, just like their father. Albus, however, took after their mother, cunning and secretive. He pondered the situation with his brother as he played the game with his sister.

There was something going on between his brother and Gellert Grindelwald. Grindelwald was visiting his great aunt, the Dumbledore's next door neighbor, Bathilda Bagshot. He had recently been expelled from Durmstrang, which left a bad taste in Aberforth's mouth. Grindelwald was obviously a troublemaker. They had been holed up in Albus's room for two weeks, only coming out to eat and go to the restroom. Whenever Aberforth passed the door, he heard muffled mutters. While Abe didn't care about what Albus did in his spare time, Albus had been neglecting Ariana, with all the work falling onto Abe's shoulders. Abe didn't mind doing his part to help with Ariana, but in another few days, he would be returning to Hogwarts to start his final school year. Albus had promised to look after Ariana, but he was doing a shite job of it right now.

Abe's disappointment in his brother grew exponentially the more time Albus spent with Grindelwald. Ever since Mrs. Bagshot's great-nephew had arrived in town, Albus had ignored everything and everyone. When Abe had questioned his brother about his new friend, Albus told him, rather haughtily, that Grindelwald was his equal in every way. Now, Ariana was paying the price of Albus's choice of friends.

Later that night, while Abe was making sure Ariana was in her bed, when Albus exclaimed loudly, "It's for the greater good, Gellert! Don't you see? They are beneath us! We need to use the Elder Wand to convince the Ministry of Magic to overturn the Statue of Secrecy."

Raised voices were an unusual occurrence between Albus and Grindelwald because they were thick as thieves. He had overheard a few heated debates over the past two months, but never an actual argument. Abe had left Ariana's room and was closing her door when Grindelwald stormed out of Albus's bedroom and fled down the stairs with anger in his eyes.

Abe wondered what Albus could have possibly said to have Grindelwald storm out like that. He needed to find out. Abe had a bad feeling about what Albus was scheming since their mother had also said that it was for the greater good when she'd locked Ariana away from the outside world. Albus was a brilliant wizard, but he was rather extreme with his views toward other people at times, especially Muggles. Abe needed to possibly stop this horrible scheme that Albus had come up with. The question was: how?

When no immediate solution came to mind, Abe decided to walk outside and breathe in some night air on the back stoop, hoping that might force some inspiration out of him.

It was a dark night with a new moon and clouds overhead, so there was very little light in the Dumbledore's back yard. Even so, Aberforth didn't take his wand out and light it, instead, he enjoyed the serenity of the night sounds and let the darkness soothe his worries. But after a while, his dread caught up to him. His thoughts were full of his disappointment in Albus and his distress over what would happen to Ariana when he returned to school.

He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there when the crack of a stick somewhere across the yard alerted him to the arrival of another person, who soon joined him on the stoop.

"I'm sorry I stormed out." Grindelwald sighed and continued speaking softly, "What you were saying though, about the greater good? Do you really believe that overturning the Statute of Secrecy and creating a hierarchy of all people is for the greater good? I understand that we could do it. It may make us each a monster in the eyes of some of our peers, but you're right, wizards were made to rule the Muggle peoples. Not everyone sees it that way, though. We'll have to stick together, you and me against the world, Albus."

Abe didn't answer as shock washed over him. He always hated looking so much like his brilliant older brother, but he was almost grateful for it now because, although he was horrified and disappointed in Albus, at least now he knew the truth. Grindelwald's words proved that Albus's number one priority wasn't his family, but rather his own fame and glory. Aberforth wished, once again, that his brother had never met Gellert Grindelwald. None of this would have entered Albus's head had Grindelwald not been around to enable and instigate the worst aspects of Albus's personality.

Grindelwald continued, "We need the Hallows, though, to put the Muggles in their place. We will be invincible with the Elder Wand! The Ministry of Magic will have to listen to us. We will make them listen."

Aberforth couldn't believe his ears. His brother and Grindelwald were on the hunt for the Deathly Hallows? The story said that Death gave three gifts to three brothers to make them Masters of Death. How could the Resurrection Stone and Cloak of Invisibility help them? The Elder Wand might be of some use to them, but was it worth it? Most people believed the Deathly Hallows were a fairy story to tell their children as bedtime stories, but they weren't real.

Then to think they wished for wizard dominance over Muggles by eliminating the Statute of Secrecy. It was preposterous! This scheme would turn them into monsters in the eyes of all except the pure-blood fanatics like the Black, Lestrange, and Malfoy families, who would laud them as geniuses and great leaders, but those were not the kind of people that a decent person aimed to impress. Their views and ideals were cruel and outdated, after all, Muggles may live without magic, but that did not make them lesser humans.

Abe rubbed his eyes, and Gellert leaned his head on Abe's shoulder. Aberforth stiffened at the familiarity of the movement as he realized that there was more to Albus and Gellert's relationship than he thought.

Gellert didn't seem to notice Abe's reaction and continued to speak, "I know there are leads on where the Elder Wand was last seen. The Peverell line was the last known owners of the Cloak of Invisibility, but they died out years ago. We need to find out where that went. It's quite possible that Potter has it as you said. Where do you think the stone is?"

The door swung open behind the two of them, and Albus was silhouetted in the light from the kitchen, shock clearly written on his face even in the low light. Gellert jumped away from Abe, surprise and anger twisting his features as Albus stepped outside, closing the door behind him. He spoke a spell quietly, causing an orb of light to hang a few feet above their heads.

Abe stood slowly, looking from his brother to Grindelwald. "So, you're searching for a fairy story, are you? You do realize that the Deathly Hallows are myths, don't you?"

"Why didn't you say you weren't Albus, you little sneak?" Grindelwald yelled, drawing his wand and pointing it at Aberforth. Abe froze, worry growing in the pit of his stomach at the look in Grindelwald's eyes. They were cold, full of murder. Would Albus intervene to stop his best friend from killing his brother? Abe chanced a glance at his brother to see the indecision in Albus's eyes, then turned his attention back to Grindelwald's wand. The three men were at a crossroads as Aberforth waited for Albus to choose to either diffuse the situation or escalate it.

Albus spoke placatingly, "Abe, it's not what you think. We are working toward the greater good. Muggles are lesser beings, with us being superior to them. They were made to be ruled by us. The Statute of Secrecy would be demolished, and we wouldn't have to hide magic. With the Hallows, we would have nothing to fear from Muggles, and we would finally be free."

Aberforth scoffed at his brother, "What about Ariana? You want me to return to Hogwarts, but who will take care of our sister? You have such great plans to go off in search of a wand, a stone, and a cloak that likely don't exist, but she can't travel with you. It isn't safe for her!"

Grindelwald stepped toward Aberforth, the light from the orb causing his face to seem even more threatening. "Ariana won't have to hide once we bring the Muggles to their knees! She will be safe because they will be submissive to us—to her!"

Aberforth drew his wand slowly from his pocket and stepped back. "You're making grand speeches, but there are many more Muggles than wizards and witches. Even if the Hallows are real, and you somehow find them all, you can't win a fight against so many people. And they're not lesser beings."

Albus gave his brother a searching look before he stepped toward Grindelwald, his wand held loosely at his side. Grindelwald still had his wand pointed straight at Aberforth's heart. "Gellert, lower your wand. There is no need for theatrics. Abe was wrong for pretending to be me, but that doesn't mean he needs to be dueled because of it." With another step, Abe watched Albus put a hand on Grindelwald's arm, attempting to dissolve the situation. Relief filled Abe's chest, and he released the breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Grindelwald's wand arm did not lower though, as he yelled at Albus. "He tricked me. He knows about us now. He'll ruin everything, Albus! Don't you see, he is against us. He is looking at us as if we are monsters."

Aberforth's heart beat quickly as Grindelwald's face distorted with rage. If a fight ensued, Abe didn't stand a chance, since Grindelwald was a much more experienced duelist than he was. Although Abe could hold his own at school, Grindelwald had been trained at Durmstrang Institute, which was known to stress dueling.

A spell flew from Grindelwald's wand, but Albus blocked it with a quickly cast _Protego_. "Gellert! Stop! This isn't what needs to happen. Stop!"

Aberforth shot a quick stunning spell at Grindelwald, hoping to stop him, but that incensed Albus and spells began to fly from all three wands, with Albus targeting both Grindelwald and Aberforth. Aberforth did his best to stay abreast of what spells were being shot at him but knew that he was outmatched and would soon lose. Sweat poured from his brow as the intensity of the battle grew. Then he saw the back door open, and Ariana stepped out of the house.

He called out, "Ariana, go back inside! Stay safe!"

"NO!" Ariana's terrified voice called into the night. She quickly ran between the three men, hands held out between the two brothers and Grindelwald.

A spell hit her, and she dropped to the ground. Aberforth jumped forward just in time to catch her before she hit the ground, and the spellfire ceased as the three men saw the girl fall.

"Ariana! Speak to me! Wake up!" Aberforth spoke, holding his sister to his chest. He checked her pulse but felt nothing. "No, no, no... She's dead. She's dead." Tears fell down his face as guilt filled his heart. He looked up at Albus and said accusingly, "Do what you want now, the chains holding you to this place are gone. I'm done with you. I don't care if you die."

Albus looked at Aberforth, pain evident in his eyes before Albus turned to Grindelwald and aimed his wand at his friend's chest. Albus firmly whispered, "I want you to leave now." Grindelwald nodded before disappearing into the night.

Abe picked up Ariana and carried her into the house, leaving Albus staring at the place where she had fallen. Disappointment filled Aberforth's soul, along with sadness and anger. With one errant spell, he had lost his sister. He didn't know if he could ever forgive his brother for bringing Gellert Grindelwald into their lives.


End file.
